The Priestly Privilege of Giving Thanks

I love Thanksgiving.

Squeezed between Halloween and Christmas, Thanksgiving reminds us from Whom all blessings flow. Click To Tweet

Thanksgiving helps us to remember, it’s bigger than us.

Thanksgiving helps us to remember, it’s not even about us.

Could there be any better prep for Christmas? A refocusing on the big picture before Christmas goes into full swing on Black Friday?

In 1 Chronicles 23, King David worked with the Levitical priesthood to organize the ministries of the Tabernacle and future Temple. Priest, gatekeepers, musicians—each had a role. One of the Levitical duties? Giving thanks and praise to God.

Every morning. Every evening. A daily Thanksgiving without the turkey and fixings.

In the New Testament, Peter and John refer to the church as a royal priesthood, a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10). Shouldn’t we praise God and give Him thanks every morning and evening too?

Sunrises and sunsets naturally bring praise and thanks to my mind. I catch them when I can. God’s color schemes inspire awe. But even without the splendor, the day’s start and end should bring us before God.

Mornings: Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV) is a favorite morning verse, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Mornings bring a fresh start. Work to tackle. People to love. Opportunities. For what can you thank God in the morning?

Evenings: Darkness comes early now. It helps me shut down the day, take a deep breath, and put my work away until tomorrow. Evening brings rest. Quiet. A chance to be still. For what can you give God thanks in the evening?

If you find it helpful, catch a sunrise or sunset this week. Give thanks to God and praise Him.

For a new morning.

For the day’s accomplishments as evening comes.

Great is His faithfulness.

Workout for the Week: The Priestly Privilege of Giving Thanks

Memory Verse: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

Meditation Passage: 1 Chronicles 23:28-31

Do It: Give God thanks every morning and every evening.

2 Comments

  1. Cindy gambino on November 20, 2018 at 12:44 am

    I loved reading this. Yes! So much to be thankful for every day. What a great week to focus on giving thanks- actually, something I try to do daily. Thank you for a wonderful post!

    • Gayle Veitenheimer on November 25, 2018 at 5:47 pm

      Thanks for reading!I love Thanksgiving. The challenge for me is to carry that thankfulness through into the hustle and bustle of December! Christmas can be so stressful!

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